Welcome to the Story Circle: Why We Read Together
Why Stories Matter
There's a moment every parent knows. The house is finally quiet. Your child is tucked in, the day's chaos fading. And then they say it: "One more story?"
That moment — that small, sacred pause between the busy world and sleep — is where the real magic happens. Not the magic of dragons and spells (though those have their place), but the magic of connection. Of a child feeling safe enough to wonder. Of a parent feeling present enough to listen.
That's why I write.
The Stories Behind the Stories
When I started writing the Lily Red Owl series, I wasn't trying to teach lessons. I was trying to capture something I noticed in my own children: the way they processed big feelings through imagination. The way a dream could be braver than waking life. The way nature — real, wild, Alaska nature — gave them metaphors they couldn't find anywhere else.
Lily Red Owl became their guide. A wise little owl who sits in the space between dreaming and waking, helping children navigate the feelings that don't have easy names.
And then came the Winter Gnomes — born from those January evenings when the cold pressed in and we needed warmth that wasn't just physical. The gnomes taught us that tending to small things matters. That showing up every day is its own kind of bravery.
What You'll Find Here
This blog is where I share:
- Story notes — the real moments that inspired each book
- Nature activities — simple ways to bring the outdoors into your family's daily rhythm
- Reading guides — how to use these books for deeper conversations with your children
- Behind the scenes — the messy, beautiful process of making picture books
Join the Story Circle
If you're here, you already know that stories aren't just entertainment. They're how we teach empathy, build resilience, and create family rituals that last.
Welcome to the Story Circle. I'm glad you found us.
— A.L. Davis, writing from Juneau, Alaska